Tokyo 2020 will be a family affair for shot put sisters Dame Valerie and Lisa Adams after the latter booked her place at this years Paralympic Games.
Lisa was one of two Paralympic newcomers, along with sprinter Danielle Aitchison, named in the Para athletics team headed to Japan, joining Holly Robinson, Caitlin Dore, Anna Grimaldi and William Stedman.
ANDREW CORNAGA/PHOTOSPORT
Lisa Adams is coached by sister and double Olympic champion Dame Valerie Adams.
The selection continues a rapid rise for the 30-year-old, having only made her first competitive throw in 2018 before going on to become a world champion just 12 months later.
She is coached by her older sister, two-time Olympic gold medallist and Kiwi sporting legend Dame Valerie, who last month was confirmed to take part in a record-equalling fifth consecutive Games.
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With the Paralympics taking place immediately after, from August 24 to September 5, Lisa said the opportunity to be able to join her elder sister in Tokyo as a competitor made Thursday’s announcement extra special.
“This is my very first experience and Ive only ever watched my sister before at the Olympics. But Im excited for my sister and excited for myself,” she told Stuff.
Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Lisa Adams has been selected to compete at her first Paralympic Games.
“Im late to this sport, but when I started Tokyo was the dream and my sister, my coach, helped me turn that into a goal.
“It’s cool. Of course, its a day to celebrate but Ive got a lot of work to do yet.”
Lisa, who has cerebral palsy, began competing in Para athletics after an article about her playing rugby league was spotted by Athletics New Zealand coach Raylene Bates.
A few months later she attended a classification event in Hastings and was encouraged to try shot put and discus.
The sport is clearly in the blood as, just a year later at the 2019 national track and field championships, the Rotorua athlete broke the womens shot put F37 world record. Remarkably, she went on to better her own mark on three more occasions on the way to winning gold at the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai.
The 12-month postponement of the Games and the various restrictions put in place as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic threw up it’s challenges, as it did for everyone.
Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
(L-R) Anna Grimaldi, Danielle Aitchison, William Stedman, Lisa Adams, Holly Robinson and Caitlin Dore make up the Para athletics team heading to Tokyo.
But being so new to the sport, Lisa now looks at the delay as a “blessing in disguise”.
“When I first started … it was like okay, were going to try and do this in two years’, so the postponement meant we ended up doing it in three.
“Everyone had their different challenges and obviously I couldnt get to the gym so it was physical changes, more than anything, but we pulled through. It was for the best and we just have to stay safe and stay sane.
“Ive grown a lot, especially this year a few things have happened thats set off little light bulbs for me, which is quite helpful.”
It also helps having a sister/coach whos an all-time great of the sport.
Lisa has virtually been a sponge around Dame Valerie over the last three years, trying to absorb as much advice as possible.
Where the four-time world champion has been particularly handy of late has been dealing with the uncertainty surrounding the event, which still exists just two months out from the start of the Olympics.
“Its just keeping ourselves in check, making sure our buckets full of what we need to strive for and going in as prepared as we can, whatever that may look like,” Lisa said. “Just focusing on the task at hand and not pumping unnecessary energy into stuff we cant control.
“Trainings going well. Now I’ll just work my a…. off and hope to smash it when we get there.”
Lisa shapes as a strong contender to add to the 89 medals Para athletics athletes have won across 13 Games.
The addition of the six-strong team takes the overall squad to 19, with selection pending for up to another five Para sports over the coming months.
The New Zealand Paralympic team is eventually expected to include up to 45 athletes in total.